This proposal seeks fund to examine joint programs in the delivery of mental health to the aged. Noting that few joint endeavors survive, but that planners continually stress the need for integrated efforts, we shall examine the successes and failures of inter-agency programs in 12 cities in two midwestern states. Policy makers and directors of all social welfare agencies in these sites will be personally interviewed and respond to structured items about the history of joint programs, the nature of the organizational participants, their commitments of personnel, resources and moral suasion, the administrative structures of the programs, problems they encountered, and the mechanisms developed to resolve conflict. We shall also explore the criteria used for evaluating joint programs and the limitations they impose. In addition, we shall gather data on the relationships among organizations in the communities. Specifically, we shall find out from agency directors about the others with whom they communicate, cooperate, compete, seek funds, plan programs, share staff, facilities and resources. Using these data we shall map the organizational networks in each community and test hypotheses about the social relationships among organizations that contribute to, or detract from, the development of joint efforts. Other data gathered in the interview or from a self-administered questionnaire will provide information about barriers to coordination: about attitudes of policy makers, planners and other top officials; and about influences upon decision-making. One section of the interview will obtain data about the formal agency characteristics like budgets, size, organizational design and division labor, personnel characteristics and qualifications, clients served, etc. Data available from the Turk research on the social and political characteristics of the cities will enable us to specify the conditions that further interagency relationships and their development of joint programs for the aged mentally ill.